Holiday parade question

[TheTed]

I enjoyed the parade.

I didn't understand why the Coney Island (with hundreds of people standing around within a block of their door) couldn't deviate from normal hours to get some business from parade goers. I feel like so many businesses downtown are just open certain hours because that's the way it's been for decades.

The same goes for the new popcorn shop. They're open 4 hours a day five days a week at a time when there's a holiday parade, winterfest, tons of people at the pop-up shops and more that I'm probably forgetting.

A lively downtown needs businesses, and it needs businesses more than just the current array of bars and sit-down restaurants.

[Conan71]

The downtown parade celebrated Christmas as well as other holidays. The south Tulsa parade celebrated Christmas shopping at the stores at a mall.

Many people in the crowd were yelling out "Merry Christmas!" as well as people in the parade yelling back to the crowd.  For someone to say it didn't celebrate Christmas is really ignorant.  But look at the source...

Didn't this all start because Senator Inhofe refused to ride his donkey in the parade once he figured out it was now called the Holiday Parade Of Lights?

[Ed W]

Didn't this all start because Senator Inhofe refused to ride his donkey in the parade once he figured out it was now called the Holiday Parade Of Lights?

I think the crowd would have been confused by trying to figure out which one was the donkey.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.  I'll be quiet now.)

[Hoss]

I think the crowd would have been confused by trying to figure out which one was the donkey.

(Sorry, couldn't resist.  I'll be quiet now.)

I don't think he could have steered it unless there was a big yellow X on the road

Pilots will get that reference

[Teatownclown]

Many people in the crowd were yelling out "Merry Christmas!" as well as people in the parade yelling back to the crowd.  For someone to say it didn't celebrate Christmas is really ignorant.  But look at the source...

Didn't this all start because Senator Inhofe refused to ride his donkey in the parade once he figured out it was now called the Holiday Parade Of Lights?

I really think there's a lot more to it all that lays below surface. But RM has this thing about protecting religion on the forum. I'm ok with that. It's called being respectful of other's beliefs. But when those beliefs are used by the powerful to meet their goals then both "groups" have issues. (and many of you wonder why we can't retain the educated children in Tulsy)

Actually, these differences eventually lead to a better understanding between people. Jim Inhofe has had a lifetime to adapt and understand but he still digs in those heels. He must long for when the country was not so diverse.

In the future we will see the Suburban Christmas Parade and the Downtown Holiday Parade. Just quit doing it at the same time on the same date. That's reflective of the ugly underbelly of hate and intolerance.

I am adding that I enjoy yelling "Merry Christmas" and getting into the spirit by virtue of the community connection despite my non beliefs.

[AquaMan]

The real Christmas Parade was the big parade at Tulsa Hills, it was packed with people. Christmas is about Christ - it's a Christian holiday. The downtown parade  may as  well be held  on New Years or some other time of the year, it does not celebrate Christmas and that's the reason for the season.

Which is why the only float I saw on the news from that parade showed a big Santa Claus waving at the crowd with a
"Happy Birthday Jesus!" banner behind him. That was weird. It was a shopping promotion, not a Christian parade. That's fine, but don't make it more than it was.

[Red Arrow]

Which is why the only float I saw on the news from that parade showed a big Santa Claus waving at the crowd with a
"Happy Birthday Jesus!" banner behind him.

Jesus seems to be a somewhat frequently occurring name for Hispanic males so the "Happy Birthday Jesus" banner could possibly be for someone local. (I know, the probability is minimal.)   

[RecycleMichael]

I said "Thank you Jesus" and my lawn guy said back, "De nada".

[Red Arrow]

I said "Thank you Jesus" and my lawn guy said back, "De nada".

I assume you pronounced it (approximately) hey-SOOS rather than GEES-us.

[BKDotCom]

Moral of the story:
Judge a parade by the floats and atmosphere, not its name.

[Teatownclown]

Moral of the story:
Judge a parade by the floats and atmosphere, not its name.

NOPE. The moral of the story is "don't make your town look like idiots". Schedule your parades on separate days and different times. Don't make yourselves look like mean and hateful people.

[rdj]

Agree with Tea Town Clown on this one.

A parade to celebrate the birth of Christ is certainly worthy.  Did Christ himself not ride into Jerusalem on a donkey with palm leaves and robes laid down for him to pass on?  The original Christ parade, perhaps?

But, in my humble opinion to intermix the commercial (and some would say pagan) symbols of the modern Christmas celebration and proclaim it the Christmas parade celebrating "The Reason for the Season", in an almost Pharisaical tone mind you, is laughable.  So laughable in fact it makes our little metropolis a laughingstock of the late night TV set.

[DolfanBob]

Is Tulsa the only U.S. City that wants to call it's parade Christmas?
I'm old and have alway's heard the name Christmas parade.
I can't remember the last company Holiday party I went to.
Or my last Holiday present I recieved.
Hey I sure like that Holiday sweater you're wearing, with that big fat red fraud on it.
Did you get you're Holiday bonus yet?
I got me a festavus pole this year. All the Holiday trees were gone.
Hurry and send out those Holiday cards with the picture of my frowning Holiday family on it.
I hate how the radio station keeps playing that Holiday music. They should bleep out that Christ word in those songs.
I hope that my son gets that x-box he wants for Holiday.
Boy the Grinch was stupid to go out and try and steal Holiday.
But I will give all you spirit killing, politically correct, laughingstock making Tulsans one thing.
Charlie Brown did go out and buy one Helluva nice "HOLIDAY" tree

[AquaMan]

Is Tulsa the only U.S. City that wants to call it's parade Christmas?
I'm old and have alway's heard the name Christmas parade.
I can't remember the last company Holiday party I went to.
Or my last Holiday present I recieved.
Hey I sure like that Holiday sweater you're wearing, with that big fat red fraud on it.
Did you get you're Holiday bonus yet?
I got me a festavus pole this year. All the Holiday trees were gone.
Hurry and send out those Holiday cards with the picture of my frowning Holiday family on it.
I hate how the radio station keeps playing that Holiday music. They should bleep out that Christ word in those songs.
I hope that my son gets that x-box he wants for Holiday.
Boy the Grinch was stupid to go out and try and steal Holiday.
But I will give all you spirit killing, politically correct, laughingstock making Tulsans one thing.
Charlie Brown did go out and buy one Helluva nice "HOLIDAY" tree

Change happens. Like you, I am old and my holiday memories are from the sepia toned 50's and 60's. But you either embrace change and evolve or you spend your life complaining about how it used to be.

Did you know-
Cincinnati avenue is now MLK avenue
Christmas lights are now Holiday lights
Water coolers are gone
No one seems to know who Virgil "Gus" Grissom was and why we would care.
There is no Easter bunny and he had nothing to do with Easter
Holiday Shopping is an acceptable term and interchangeable with Christmas Shopping
There was a time when people loved their land lines
23 Skidoo is meaningless
Groovy will be soon
"Its gotta' be more than just two lines, in the Oklahoma City Times"...is meaningless

Call a parade what you want but to set up dueling parades and try to take the position that yours is more holy when both were designed for and paid by commercial interests is hypocrisy.

[cynical]

Big parade in OKC is the Annual Devon  Energy Holiday Parade on the Oklahoma River. Devon happens to be a very large contributor to Inhofe's campaign. Has he ever complained about that one?